We all yearn to fuse our passion for bikes with travel. Thereās certainly no shortage of places to go, and if you jump off the beaten path, you can do so quite affordably. But unlike going to a highly visited mountain bike destination like Whistler, Alps, BC or New Zealand, you have to be prepared because the infrastructure wonāt provide for you otherwise. Here are a few tips to making your international MTB travel run as smoothly as possible.

FIND THE RIGHT PLACE
Ask fellow MTB friends, search for international race locations, check out blogs, reach out to foreign MTB athletesā¦whatever it takes to find the right, undiscovered place.
GET IN TOUCH WITH THE LOCAL
Every undiscovered MTB destination has a small and tight network of locals who shred. Find out who they are, get in touch, and offer to pay cash for an informal guided day so they can show you the goods. Chances are, theyāll be stoked to show you more, and cost-wise, itāll be a win-win for both. Thereās little to no beta in undiscovered third world places, so worst case, find some .gpx files, a good GPS device, and get ready for an adventure. Or thereās likely a tour company thatās ready to rip you off.


BUY, RENT OR BORROW A BIKE BAG
Make sure you have a good travel case. If you donāt own one, you can likely rent from a local shop. Dakine, Thule and Evoc make great bike bags. Pack everything safely (remove rotors, remove or heavily pad derailleur, pad frame with pool noodles, etc.). Generally, put as much padding around your bike as you can fit in the case. *Tip: depending on the bike case sometimes you can get the airlines into thinking itās music equipment or just a standard oversized bag so youāre not paying $100-$150 each way.
BRING COMPONENTS!!
Third world and developing countries DO NOT have parts for your fancy American bike (Guatemala was completely oblivious to the existence of 27.5ā), so in addition to the standard must-haves, itās critical that you pack extra; brake pads, derailleur hanger, tires, sealant, lube, tubes, plugs, shock pump, tools, and a floor pump.


EXPECT RUGGED TRAILS
In developing countries, trails arenāt maintained and certainly not for bikes, so expect the most rugged, loose, raw conditions imaginable. Thatās what makes it so fun! Youāll often find yourself on old native footpaths, riding through 10ā deep water ruts, drifting down shale, or fending off jungle vines. Donāt expect flowy, bermy, or smooth.
YOUR CREW IS OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE
As with most things in life, your crew makes all the difference in the world. Choose a crew thatās fun, cohesive, positive, and very flexible. If things donāt work out as intended, hopefully, youāre surrounded by people that are ready to crack a beer and laugh it off.

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